Which place is cheaper, Ushuaia or Cancun?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Cancun or Ushuaia?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Cancun and Ushuaia can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cancun or Ushuaia?
Cancun
In the northeast corner of the Mexican Caribbean, Cancun is one of Mexico's most popular destinations. The area that is now Cancun was actually selected specifically by the Mexican government for development as a tourist destination. The area was chosen because it has fourteen miles of beautiful white beaches, nearby Mayan ruins, and turquoise blue water with nearby snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. Prior to its development as a tourist destination, there were few inhabitants in the area.
Ushuaia
Ushuaia is a city on the Tierra del Fuego island of Argentina on the Beagle Strait. The city is considered to be one of the southernmost cities in the world and is often used as a base for cruises to Antarctica. Ushuaia's close proximity to Antarctica and their amazing hiking trails have made it a popular tourist destination over the past few decades.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, The Best 3-Week Tours in Argentina, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Buenos Aires.
-
Cancun Prices
Mexico PricesUshuaia Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCancun $153Ushuaia $0.00
The average daily cost (per person) in Cancun is $153, while the average daily cost in Ushuaia is $0.00. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Cancun and Ushuaia in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCancun $89Ushuaia -
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCancun $178Ushuaia $0.00
Compare Hotels in Cancun and Ushuaia
Looking for a hotel in Cancun or Ushuaia? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Cancun Hotel Prices and Ushuaia Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cancun $16Ushuaia -
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:
-
Taxi Around Town$1.52
-
Airport Shuttle (for 2)$13
-
Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)$15
-
Local Bus (for 2)$1.85
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Limo Transfer Airport Cancun - Puerto Morelos Hotel Zone: $279
- Cancun Airport Private Transfer to Tulum (Round Trip): $250
- Private Transfer from Cancún Airport (CUN) to Tulum : $243
- Xcaret 1 Day Tour from Cancun with Hotel Transfer: $228
- Cancun Airport Private Transfer One Way: To or From Akumal Area Up to 15 Pass.: $225
- Private Transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum: $220
- Round private transfer Airport- Akumal - Airport.: $220
- Private Round Trip Transfer (Cancun Airport - Playa del Carmen): $219
- Airport Transfers to Costa Mujeres - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $215
- Cancún Airport (CUN) to Akumal - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $214
- Cancún Airport (CUN) to El Dorado Maroma - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $212
- Private round airport transfer from Cancun - Puerto Aventuras - airport.: $210
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ushuaia
Also for Ushuaia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Ushuaia:Trekking Glaciar & Ice Caves W/Lunch and Transfer: $176
- Transfers to Cerro Castor: $20
- Shared One-way Airport Transfer: $7.00
- National Park, Train and Navigation. Airport transfer included: $204
- Husky Trekking with Transfer: $62
- Escondido and Fagnano Lakes with transfer: $112
- Complete Husky Experience + Buoy Park with Transfer: $124
- Antarctic Experience W/Snowmobile Ride & Transfer: $242
- Airport Transfer: $10
- Ushuaia to Ushuaia Airport (USH) - Departure Private Transfer: $25
- Ushuaia city to Ushuaia Airport(USH) - Departure Private Transfer: $24
- Ushuaia Low cost Transfers: $17
Is it cheaper to fly into Cancun or Ushuaia?
Prices for flights to both Ushuaia and Cancun change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
-
Food Meals for one dayCancun $45Ushuaia -
Typical Food Prices in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Lunch for Two$19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cancun Pirate Ship Adventure : Dinner & Show at Sea 2 for 1 Deal: $50
- Pirate Show in Cancun! Dinner & drinks: $62
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Pirate Shop & Dinner at Cancun! Drinks, Adventure and Fun: $65
- Cancun Walking Food Tour: Local Food, Markets, and Street Art.: $77
- Puerto Morelos Walking Food Tour: $77
- Mexican Cooking Class with fresh Local Market ingredients selection and transpor: $79
- Cancun Taco & Mexican Food Tour with Tequila Tasting: $79
- Cancun Private Mural Art and Food Tour: $81
- Hands-On Cooking Class in Drink & Cook Authentic Dishes: $85
- Pirate’s Night Out: Dinner and Entertainment in the Caribbean: $89
- Unforgettable Pirate Dinner Adventure in the Mexican Caribbean: $89
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ushuaia
For Ushuaia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Adventure and Snow Moto + Buffet Lunch or Pizza Rodizio + Transfer: $96
- Beaver Sighting with Dinner off Lake Fagnano: $170
- Ushuaia City Tour: Vespertine Tour with Dinner: $189
- Snowmobile + Snowshoeing + Huskies + Skiing + Lunch or Pizza Buffet: $195
- Tierra del Fuego National Park PM - with Dinner included: $210
- Discovering Lakes Escondido and Fagnano with sunset dinner: $210
- Puerto Almanza and Punta Paraná Tour with Dinner: $210
- Tierra del Fuego National Park: vespertine tour with dinner: $210
- Snow and Fire with Dinner in Firepit, Sledge Ride and Snowmobile: $250
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cancun $32Ushuaia -
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:
-
Seasick Pills$0.54
-
Whale Shark Tour (for 2)$92
Tours and Activities in Cancun
For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2 Day Combo Tour, Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Xplor and Chichen Itza Option: $260
- 3 in 1 Tour to Coba Cenote and Maya Village: $149
- Atv tour from Cancun with ziplines and cenote swim experience: $30
- Cancun Private Street Art Tour: $65
- Clear Boat Tour in Cancun 1.5 hours great for pictures: $19
- Coco Bongo Music And Show Ticket: $90
- Holbox plus Island Magic by boat Tour from Cancun : $144
- Isla Contoy and Isla Mujeres Tour from Cancun: $152
- Isla Mujeres Catamaran Platinum Tour with Open Bar: $115
- LDS Tour to Chichen Itza + Cenote : $215
- Las Coloradas and Rio Lagartos Day Tour from Cancun: $105
- Private Tour to Tulum Ruins and Cenotes : $257
Tours and Activities in Ushuaia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ushuaia.
- 3-Hour Tour Sailing through the Beagle Channel: $105
- 4×4 Off Road Tour to Escondido and Khami Lakes: $200
- 4W4 Adventure in Lagos Full Day with Roast : $170
- 4WD Off-Road Lakes Adventure in Tierra del Fuego: $167
- 4x4 Adventure at Lago Fagnano from Ushuaia: $236
- 4x4 Lake Fagnano Adventure from Ushuaia: $218
- 5-Hour National Park + City tour - USHUAIA (Private Tour): $205
- 5.5-Hour Nat Park w/ Hiking *Shore Excursion* USHUAIA (Shared tour for cruises): $150
- 5hrs of Trekking Experience in Martial Glacier: $115
- Adventure in the Lakes Fueguinos quadricycles and Patagonian lamb: $238
- Adventure through Lagos 4X4 in Ushuaia: $162
- Albino's Eye Glacier Full-Day Trekking Tour from Ushuaia: $286
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayCancun $12Ushuaia -
Sample the Local Flavors in Cancun
Also in Cancun, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Social Pub Crawl in Cancun: $35
- Bar Crawl Madness Tour in Cancun: $99
Sample the Local Flavors in Ushuaia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Ushuaia:
- Photo tour and Wine Tasting in Ushuaia City: $115
- City tour and Wine tasting: $115
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cancun and Ushuaia, we can see that Cancun is more expensive. And not only is Ushuaia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cancun is in North America and Ushuaia is in South America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Ushuaia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ushuaia and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Cancun would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cancun than you might in Ushuaia.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cancun Expensive? and Is Ushuaia Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cancun or Ushuaia?
Cancun has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Ushuaia. When comparing the sizes of Cancun and Ushuaia, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.